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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23658136">seesaw</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonbinaryezrabridger/pseuds/nonbinaryezrabridger'>nonbinaryezrabridger</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>stargate trope bingo [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stargate Atlantis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Whump, don’t copy to other sites</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:15:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,137</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23658136</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonbinaryezrabridger/pseuds/nonbinaryezrabridger</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Rodney is captured by the wraith and fed upon before his team can rescue him. </p>
<p>(No major character death)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ronon Dex &amp; Teyla Emmagan &amp; Rodney McKay &amp; John Sheppard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>stargate trope bingo [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1698106</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>seesaw</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>written for the "captured by the enemy" square on my stargate trope bingo.</p>
<p>this is my first time writing Rodney, which was interesting</p>
<p>tw for this story:</p>
<p>blood, general violence associated with wraith feeding</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>-------</p>
<p>Rodney is kicking himself. He was just so excited about the energy readings, so strong they could have indicated a ZPM, that he had gone running ahead of his team. When the wraith had grabbed him he had struggled but when your enemy has super strength, what are you going to do? He had heard his team fighting the other wraith, but more important than that was the fact that the wraith was dragging him away from the fight, into a well hidden cave. The wraith had cocooned him---a truly disgusting process---and had waited for the other wraith to return. They speak in hissing voices:</p>
<p>“The humans have retreated.”</p>
<p>“They will be back.”</p>
<p>“Yes, but not in time to save this one.”</p>
<p>They both turn and fix their yellow slit eyes on Mckay. </p>
<p>He swallows nervously, feeling himself begin to shake. He knows his team won’t have left him, but what if the wraith are right? What if they can’t get here in time? </p>
<p>All thoughts leave his mind as one of the wraith steps forward, hand held out, the feeding mouth opening and closing hungrily. Rodeny gets a disgusting, up close view of the orifice as the hand hovers over his chest. He snarls, his voice shaking with fear:</p>
<p>“You must not be very hungry, you’re taking so long!”</p>
<p>The wraith laughs and slams his hand down on Rodney's chest and suddenly he’s burning. It feels like he’s been set aflame, especially the point where the wraith's hand meets his chest. He screams and convulses, the cocoon keeping him still enough that he doesn’t interrupt the wraith’s feeding. There isn’t enough thought left in his brain to do anything or say anything or anything but hope that it stops---</p>
<p>It stops.</p>
<p>He pants, and watches dazedly as the feeding hand is removed, dripping with his own blood. He gasps for breath, his body aching like he’d just been through a rockslide. How many years had the wraith taken? How old did he look now? He doubts it matters, the wraith weren’t intending for him to survive this. He wonders why the one stopped, but then the next one steps up and snarls with glee:</p>
<p>“My turn.”</p>
<p>Rodney has time to whimper before the second hand slams down and he’s burning, burning, burning---</p>
<p>Then it stops. </p>
<p>He hears shouting and gunfire and can’t help but smile, even though his vision is going dark around the edges. He watches as the wraith fall and he gathers his strength to spit on their bodies. Then running feet enter his vision and a familiar voice says:</p>
<p>“Oh no, Rodney.”</p>
<p>He struggles to look up into that familiar face with the ruffled, wild hair. He sighs:</p>
<p>“John.”</p>
<p>John crouches, pulling out a bandage and pressing it to Rodney’s chest, making him hiss with pain, but it’s nothing like the burning from before. John speaks, his voice unusually soft:</p>
<p>“Yeah, it’s me, buddy. How are you doing?”</p>
<p>Rodney laughs at the stupid question but answers it:</p>
<p>“Can’t move my legs or arms.”</p>
<p>John pats him gently on the shoulder, trying his best to be comforting.</p>
<p>“Yeah, it happens after wraith feeding. Nothing to worry about.”</p>
<p>Rodney isn’t worried about the paralysis, he’s worried about how old he’s become. He gathers up his strength to keep his voice steady as he asks:</p>
<p>“John, how bad is it.”</p>
<p>John doesn’t meet his eyes. </p>
<p>“Looks like they took forty years off you.”</p>
<p>Rodney lets his eyes fall shut. As such, he misses Ronon and Teyla’s entrance. When he opens his eyes again they’re crouched down beside him, looking concerned. Teyla speaks up, her voice calm and soothing:</p>
<p>“You will be alright, Rodney.”</p>
<p>He doesn’t believe that, but there’s no point arguing, so he just nods. John puts a hand on Ronon’s shoulder and orders:</p>
<p>“Help me make a stretcher. We’ve got to get him back to the gate.”</p>
<p>As John and Ronon work on the stretcher, Teyla sits next to Rodney. He can see that she’s taken his hand but he can’t feel it. She talks of everything and nothing and he barely hears her, but the sound of her voice is still comforting. After what feels like a long time, Ronon and John return with the stretcher and lift Rodney onto it. He can’t feel much of his body, but he can still feel the pain of the wound on his chest. They begin the long walk back to the gate and Rodney lets his eyes slip closed, drifting off to sleep.</p>
<p>-------</p>
<p>He wakes to a wraith looming over him. </p>
<p>He screams and thrashes---oh hey paralysis is gone yay---and nearly falls off the bed he’s laying on. The wraith tilts his head and smiles at him, but doesn’t strike. Only then does Rodney take in the starburst tattoo around his eye. He asks, voice quiet and fearful:</p>
<p>“Todd?”</p>
<p>Sheppard appears next to him and says:</p>
<p>“Yes. We’ve convinced him to help you.”</p>
<p>Todd does not come with a low price. Rodney doesn’t want to know what Atlantis gave up for his help. But more importantly, he’s going to help?</p>
<p>“You don’t mean.”</p>
<p>Todd rumbles:</p>
<p>“The gift of life, yes.”</p>
<p>Rodney feels relief sweep through him, sweeter than anything else he’s ever felt.</p>
<p>“You mean you can reverse this?”</p>
<p>He gestures down at his aged body. Todd looks amused with his disbelief.</p>
<p>“Indeed I can.”</p>
<p>Rodney leans back into the wraith’s reach and demands:</p>
<p>“Well, what are you waiting for?”</p>
<p>Todd laughs at that.</p>
<p>“Your permission, lest your soldiers shoot me.”</p>
<p>Rodney nods, increasingly annoyed at how long this is taking. He wants his body back damn it!</p>
<p>“Oh, you have my permission. Gift of life away.”</p>
<p>Todd leans in slowly, and press his hand gently to Rodney’s chest, covering the healing wound there.Then---</p>
<p>Then Rodney is in ecstasy. If the pain of being fed on was the most horrible thing he’d ever felt, this is the best. It’s indescribable and then it’s over, as suddenly as it had begun. Todd pulls back and Rodney looks down, running his hands over his now unwrinkled face. </p>
<p>“Thank god!”</p>
<p>John snort and quips:</p>
<p>“More like thank Todd.”</p>
<p>Rodney turns to the wraith:</p>
<p>“Yes, thank you.”</p>
<p>The wraith gives him that disconcerting smile again and says:</p>
<p>“My pleasure.”</p>
<p>Then he steps back, allowing Carson to check Rodney over. Following him are Ronon and Teyla, taking up their places on either side of Rodney’s bed. Teyla smiles down at him and says:</p>
<p>“Did I not say you would be alright?”</p>
<p>Rodney can’t help but smile back.</p>
<p>“I’m okay thanks to you guys. So thank you.”</p>
<p>Ronon grins and pats him on the shoulder.</p>
<p>“Good to have you back.”</p>
<p>Rodney smiles, surrounded by his team and once again safe, and says:</p>
<p>“Good to be back.”</p>
<p>--------</p>
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